Greg Jefferson: Another Republican gunning for Rodriguez

OK, let’s see … A court-ordered remapping last August made Congressional District 23 more Democratic, not less so … Ciro Rodriguez clobbered his Republican rival, 14-year incumbent Henry Bonilla, by eight percentage points in a December runoff … And Republicans are already queuing up to challenge Rodriguez in 2008.

Retired businessman Jim McGrody of Fair Oaks Ranch announced his candidacy less than 48 hours after Rodriguez’s upset victory, and County Commissioner Lyle Larson said last week he’s strongly considering getting into the race.

Now, it appears San Antonio attorney Francisco “Quico” Canseco — apparently a Laredo transplant — wants a shot, too. In an e-mail Sunday, the day the Express-News ran a story on Larson’s interest, Canseco pointed out a Web site he’s already geared up for the race.

In 2004, Canseco competed and lost in the GOP primary for the District 28 seat — held at the time by Rodriguez. Thanks largely to Republican gerrymandering in 2003, Rodriguez fell in the Democratic primary to Laredoan and former Secretary of State Henry Cuellar.

Coming out of a banking and real estate background, Canseco has been steeped in Texas Republican politics. Among other posts, he served as credentials committee chairman for the state Republican Convention in San Antonio last summer.

Maybe the common threads from McGrody to Larson to Canseco are 1) the belief that Republican disenchantment will have dissipated by 2008 and 2) confidence that conservative voters in North Bexar County will resume their kingmaker role in District 23.